Evaluation of Abiotic Controls on Windthrow Disturbance Using a Generalized Additive Model: A Case Study of the Tatra National Park, Slovakia
Windthrows are the most important type of disturbance occurring in the forests of Central Europe. On 19 November 2004, the strong northeastern katabatic winds caused significant damage and land cover change to more than 126 km<sup>2</sup> of spruce forests in the Tatra National Park. The...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2020-11-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/12/1259 |
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| author | Vladimír Falťan Stanislav Katina Jozef Minár Norbert Polčák Martin Bánovský Martin Maretta Stanislav Zámečník František Petrovič |
| author_facet | Vladimír Falťan Stanislav Katina Jozef Minár Norbert Polčák Martin Bánovský Martin Maretta Stanislav Zámečník František Petrovič |
| author_sort | Vladimír Falťan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Windthrows are the most important type of disturbance occurring in the forests of Central Europe. On 19 November 2004, the strong northeastern katabatic winds caused significant damage and land cover change to more than 126 km<sup>2</sup> of spruce forests in the Tatra National Park. The risk of subsequent soil erosion and accelerated runoff has increased in the affected habitats. Similar situations may reoccur this century as a consequence of climate change. A geographical approach and detailed research of the damaged area with more comprehensive statistical analyses of 47 independent variables will help us to obtain a deeper insight into the problem of windthrow disturbances. The results are based on a detailed investigation of the damaged stands, soil, and topography. A comprehensive input dataset enabled the evaluation of abiotic controls on windthrow disturbance through the use of a generalized additive model (GAM). The GAM revealed causal linear and nonlinear relationships between the local dependent quantitative variables (the damage index and the uprooting index) and independent variables (various soil and topography properties). Our model explains 69% of the deviance of the total damage. The distribution of the wind force depended upon the topographical position—mainly on the distance from the slope’s foot lines. The soil properties (mainly the soil skeleton, i.e., rock fragments in stony soils) affect the rate and manner of damage (uprooting), especially on sites with less wind force. Stem breakage with no relation to the soil prevailed in places with high force winds. The largest number of uprooted trees was recorded in localities without a soil skeleton. The spruce’s waterlogged shallow root system is significantly prone to uprooting. The comprehensive research found a significant relationship between the abiotic variables and two different measures of forest damage, and can expand the knowledge on wind impact in Central European forests. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:33:07Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:33:07Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-843d9741c7b1487f9ba957abd11475d22023-11-20T22:27:37ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072020-11-011112125910.3390/f11121259Evaluation of Abiotic Controls on Windthrow Disturbance Using a Generalized Additive Model: A Case Study of the Tatra National Park, SlovakiaVladimír Falťan0Stanislav Katina1Jozef Minár2Norbert Polčák3Martin Bánovský4Martin Maretta5Stanislav Zámečník6František Petrovič7Department of Physical Geography and Geoecology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Mlynská dolina, Ilkovičova 6, 84215 Bratislava, SlovakiaInstitute of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářska 267/2, 61137 Brno, Czech RepublicDepartment of Physical Geography and Geoecology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Mlynská dolina, Ilkovičova 6, 84215 Bratislava, SlovakiaDepartment of Meteorological Forecasts and Warnings, Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute, Jeséniova 17, 83315 Bratislava, SlovakiaT-MAPY Slovensko Ltd., Medený Hámor 15, 974 01 Banská Bystrica, SlovakiaEsprit Ltd., Pletiarska 2, 96901 Banská Štiavnica, SlovakiaInstitute of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářska 267/2, 61137 Brno, Czech RepublicDepartment of Ecology and Environmentalistics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, 94901 Nitra, SlovakiaWindthrows are the most important type of disturbance occurring in the forests of Central Europe. On 19 November 2004, the strong northeastern katabatic winds caused significant damage and land cover change to more than 126 km<sup>2</sup> of spruce forests in the Tatra National Park. The risk of subsequent soil erosion and accelerated runoff has increased in the affected habitats. Similar situations may reoccur this century as a consequence of climate change. A geographical approach and detailed research of the damaged area with more comprehensive statistical analyses of 47 independent variables will help us to obtain a deeper insight into the problem of windthrow disturbances. The results are based on a detailed investigation of the damaged stands, soil, and topography. A comprehensive input dataset enabled the evaluation of abiotic controls on windthrow disturbance through the use of a generalized additive model (GAM). The GAM revealed causal linear and nonlinear relationships between the local dependent quantitative variables (the damage index and the uprooting index) and independent variables (various soil and topography properties). Our model explains 69% of the deviance of the total damage. The distribution of the wind force depended upon the topographical position—mainly on the distance from the slope’s foot lines. The soil properties (mainly the soil skeleton, i.e., rock fragments in stony soils) affect the rate and manner of damage (uprooting), especially on sites with less wind force. Stem breakage with no relation to the soil prevailed in places with high force winds. The largest number of uprooted trees was recorded in localities without a soil skeleton. The spruce’s waterlogged shallow root system is significantly prone to uprooting. The comprehensive research found a significant relationship between the abiotic variables and two different measures of forest damage, and can expand the knowledge on wind impact in Central European forests.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/12/1259spruce forestswind disturbancesclimate changeabiotic factorsgeneralized additive modelbiodiversity conservation |
| spellingShingle | Vladimír Falťan Stanislav Katina Jozef Minár Norbert Polčák Martin Bánovský Martin Maretta Stanislav Zámečník František Petrovič Evaluation of Abiotic Controls on Windthrow Disturbance Using a Generalized Additive Model: A Case Study of the Tatra National Park, Slovakia Forests spruce forests wind disturbances climate change abiotic factors generalized additive model biodiversity conservation |
| title | Evaluation of Abiotic Controls on Windthrow Disturbance Using a Generalized Additive Model: A Case Study of the Tatra National Park, Slovakia |
| title_full | Evaluation of Abiotic Controls on Windthrow Disturbance Using a Generalized Additive Model: A Case Study of the Tatra National Park, Slovakia |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of Abiotic Controls on Windthrow Disturbance Using a Generalized Additive Model: A Case Study of the Tatra National Park, Slovakia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of Abiotic Controls on Windthrow Disturbance Using a Generalized Additive Model: A Case Study of the Tatra National Park, Slovakia |
| title_short | Evaluation of Abiotic Controls on Windthrow Disturbance Using a Generalized Additive Model: A Case Study of the Tatra National Park, Slovakia |
| title_sort | evaluation of abiotic controls on windthrow disturbance using a generalized additive model a case study of the tatra national park slovakia |
| topic | spruce forests wind disturbances climate change abiotic factors generalized additive model biodiversity conservation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/12/1259 |
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